Ainsley's Art

So, I guess I should start by saying that Tinkerbell is owned by Disney and is not a creation of mine (of course we all know this). Otherwise, this is a 3 piece set that I am doing as a gift for a friend, but I just had to show it. I still have quite a bit to do on it, but here are the basics. The yellow wavy edge around the large painting will have stars all in it because it is like her fairy dust. Also, she will have a wand in her hand in the picture on the left and that will lead out into the name. Last, I will add some stars and small details to all the paintings to really refine them and make them "sparkle"! So, what do you guys think?

My Son Cracks Me Up!

I couldn't get the Wednesday's Walk button to connect today, although I was able to last week and did exactly the same thing! I even tried going into the post from last week and "stealing" it from there and that wouldn't work! So, go through the link above and participate!

Ok, so this was just yesterday, but I am telling you guys about it because I want to remember it forever! I was watching American Idol on my DVR from last week and Preston is just playing on his horse. Remember, he is only 20 months old. So, this guy started singing that was really bad, you know, the ones you wonder why someone didn't tell them ahead of time not to do it! Preston sticks his fingers in his ears and just keeps on riding. As soon as the guy was finished, he took his fingers out and went on his merry way. I cracked up! He has been doing a lot of funny stuff here lately, but this took the cake. He loves to play chase around the coffee table-even if no one is chasing him and he just laughs! By the way, he can say "I love you!" Anyways, I just had to share this! Here's a picture of the little ham! This was Christmas Day at my Grandma's.

So, I've Had Some Inquiries about Murals...

Ok, so I have only painted directly on a wall twice. About 5 days after I gave birth to Preston, I was feeling artsy and he was sleeping alot, so I created this to match his room. My hesitation about ever posting this picture is that Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, etc..are copyrighted and owned by Disney, but since it was for my own use and I did not try to make money from this particular painting, I think it will be alright.



On the other end of the spectrum, I painted this set of 4 drink glasses on a 20 foot wall for my cousin's game room.



Pricing on murals would depend on the size of the area to be painted, design of painting/mural, and labor and material costs. Both of the above ideas would run around $150-200. Something larger or more intricate could be $250-$400. If anyone is interested, please let me know.

LeeLou's Babyshower (+contests, prizes, etc...)

My bloggin buddy, LeeLou, who is 8 months pregnant herself, is hosting a blog babyshower to help benefit 2 babies that have been in the NICU for a while. Click on LeeLou's name to be directed to her blog and get all the details and help support a good cause. All the fun starts on February 9th! I will also be a sponsor for the giveaway, so wait for details and maybe you could win a painting! Sorry, I couldn't get her button to show in the post.

A Walk to Remember

To participate in Wednesday's Walk, click on the link above and then write about a memory you never want to forget about...here's mine:

I never, ever want to forget the day David Preston was born into my life. (I'm tearing up already) I had been in mild (pre)labor for roughly 48 hours trying to wait until my scheduled induction on Thursday, May 31st, 2007 at 6am. So, I made it through the labor pains and finally got hooked up to all of the machines, etc...The pitocin is kickin' in and then they come to do the epidural. They ask if a student can do it. I'm like, okay, I understand they need to practice at some point. So, it didn't take the first time and they had to do it again. No biggie, right? They come to do my cathader (spelling??) and ask if a student can do it. What the hey, right? He ultimately had success with the epidural. Wrong! I won't go into details, but this hurt more than the labor itself and they were not able to try again. After many hours I am not progressing any. They figured out that they had not drained my bladder (sorry, TMI). So, once they did the baby was about to come immediately. I pushed for about 40 minutes and then there he was. All that happened that day was completely gone from my mind as I held this beautiful baby boy in my arms and just cried and cried tears of pure joy. It was an unimaginable and immediate love that I can't ever fully explain. At that moment, I knew the kind of love God feels for us each and every day. I try to hold those few moments of peace and pure joy close in my heart-I felt so close to God for those few moments. I know women have babies all around the world everyday, but life is truly a miracle from God-each time it happens. All my really little baby pics of him are on discs in the safe, but here is one the day we dedicated him to the Lord-peeking over Grandpa's shoulder!

I'm Seeing Spots!!!

Not really, just ladybugs everywhere! Fortunately, I love ladybugs! If/when I have a little girl, I may go with ladybugs. And now they have done them in pink and brown which I love that color combo. They are just so cute! Well, here are these paintings for Olivia almost finished. I am delivering them this weekend, so I have some last minute touches to make and then upstairs to be varnished! I think I will add some of the tiny dots from the ladybugs that are "flying" to indicate where they flew from in the empty space on these small ones (they are 6x6x1.5 inch canvases). I made these where they can be hung diagonally or horizontally. I love to do that because it gives the owner so many options and they can change it up from time to time. So, here they are...

Ok, the Wait is Over!

For those friends that were excited to see how these turned out, you're in luck because I was too! I put the rush on them! Really though, I worked on the lettering last night and then the kids napped for me pretty good today, so I got quite a bit done. I wasn't even sure about the placement of the scriptures and Linda left it up to me and said surprise her. I was thinking of writing it over the letter or down below, but at the last minute, putting the writing around the edge popped into my head. I can't take credit for it though, I have a picture in my back bathroom that has a scripture going around the edge. So, tell me what you think! These scriptures are very close to Linda's heart for her boys and I was so blessed to have met her and done them. I really feel that it is a God story. He has been pushing me to do some art that glorifies Him and then Linda's request came along and you guys have also been interested in them! By the way, her angel's names are Ethan, Elijah, and Mason.

A New Triple Canvas Set

Let me preface with...I just want to say oh how I am just so blessed by all my new blogland friends! I have truly met some wonderful people and just wanted to say that out loud. LeeLou, Bethany, Kristin, Teri, Marilyn, and now Linda. (plus many, many more-I just talk to these ALOT!)

Now, you will understand why I mentioned that (although I should have before). I met Linda a little over a week ago and we have become fast friends! We just have so much in common and she is so very sweet. We are working on the set of paintings below for her three sons. Each is going to have their first initial on it and then a scripture. These colors were chosen to match her beautiful mantle with her Willow Tree figures. I just can't wait to get more done on them. I'll have more pics soon.

I'm Lovin' Olivia!

Ok, so I have to admit, I have been majorly stressing on these paintings. Today, however, most of the stress came to an end. I got the red looking the shade I want it and I got the olive branches, ladybugs, and dots on the sides painted! Preston took an extra long nap after our fun Nature Circle class at the park today and I got alot of productive painting done! I still have some ladybugs to put on the small ones, some cleaning up on them, and then the coat of varnish, but for the most part, they are close to done! So, are you guys feelin' them??

A Painting for Precious Olivia

So here is an update on the painting I referred to in the last post. I still have quite a bit to do to it, but I just wanted to get some opinions. Do the red (primary red) and the sage-colored green look alright together? I never usually have this problem with colors. I can't seem to tell if they match. I also needed the red to be red enough to be for ladybugs that will be added later, but not too electric. Olive branches will come from the lower left and upper right as well. I think I will do some black dots around the edge that isn't seen when looking directly from the front. There are (2) 6x6's that will go along with this, but I haven't gotten much done on those-I need more red. So, tell me what 'cha think??

It's All Business...Updates, New Art, and A Piece for Sale!

So, here is the set of 3 hanging up in my friend's gorgeous new home! I got to go over and see them myself and not just in pictures and I was happy to see that she is enjoying them.



Now, the next piece of art is what we had originally attepted to do to go over her bed instead of the set of 3. So, instead of just abandoning this like I had wanted to, I pushed through and got it to a point where people could see it. It is not completely finished; I would probably paint the white dividing lines another cool shade of brown and then varnish it, of course. This is a 30x40x1.5 inch canvas, so it is very nice for over a bed or couch. If anyone is interested, let me know.

The next piece was suppoed to be a Christmas present for my uncle and his garage. When I say garage, I mean huge, high-tech, and even clean; I like to hang out there! I did the Sams' Game Room paintings for their pool table room previously. The drawings to the right and left of the lettering are an El Camino and a BMW motorcycle which he owns and adores. This should be finished in the next few weeks.

Last and certainly not least, I am working on a 3 piece set for my friend from high school and his wonderful wife. They have an adorable baby, Olivia, and are wanting to incorporate a beautiful olive branch and ladybugs. Below is a very preliminary picture of the larger piece-a 16x20. We are also doing 2 6x6's with ladybugs to match. I think this will turn out very cute. I just had a few problems getting the red I wanted that would match the sage color and be a ladybug red, but I think I have got it now. More pics will come soon.

Tag, I'm it!

So, I’ve finally been tagged!!! I wondered if/when it would happen. Bethany tagged me, and I am suppose to share ten things about myself that are "pretty interesting" and then tag seven bloggers to share their ten things. Sadly, I only I have six "followers" of my blog, including Bethany, so if you get tagged and you don't have a blog, then you can post it on your Facebook or MySpace or something.

Since this is my art blog and it's supposed to somewhat "professional", I'll try to keep most of the "interesting" things about my art, but I may have to venture out of that arena a little.

1. I have been drawing since I can remember. I first remember drawing on my big chalkboard and then doing cartoons on paper and finally, as a teenager, I actually had an art desk. I drew cartoons, comic strips, etc...

2. I just started painting when we bought our house in 2004; I started out in the dark and dreary garage. I now made myself a make-shift studio in the bonus room which is much nicer and I can see a lot better!

3. I hardly ever paint on an easel. I actually got an easel for Christmas a few years ago, but mostly I paint on top of the pool table or at the kitchen counter. I never sit and paint; I like to stand up. I'm not sure why, though.

4. I mentioned this a few posts ago, not to boast or anything, but it surprised me; I have art in 5 states in the US and a piece in Finland. It really just sunk in that my art is actually hanging in people's homes. God is truly amazing and has blessed me immensely (spelling??).

Ok, here's where we venture away from art. Hmmm, earlier than I thought.

5. I try to do some sort of exercise everyday. Even if it is just 10 minutes of stretching or yoga poses with my friend. It doesn't look like it, but I do feel much better inside than before I started.

6. Sadly, but also very happily, I have just developed a closer relationship with God in the past 3 years. Sadly because I wish it had come along much sooner, but happily, but it grows stronger everyday. My life has changed so dramatically since I have started trying to put Him first.

7. I have mentioned this once or twice before, but I have been keeping children at home for a little over a year now to stay home with my son. I actually got an article by email today for moms considering doing this and it was entitled, "The Hardest Job You'll Ever Love" and that is so true. It is very difficult, but also so very rewarding to be here with Preston and the other little ones. They are all so sweet and sincere. Children are not judgemental or synical and I love being with them all day. I can just be myself and they love me for who I am.

8. Speaking of Preston and this is one should have been at the top of the list, but I love being a mom. I know this is not necessarily "interesting", but being a mother is the most amazing thing, next to my relationship with God, that has ever happened to me. You know when you are pregnant that you are going to just love your baby so much, but you can never know the level of love or how special it is until you hold your own child. If you did not believe in God, for whatever crazy reason before having a child, the moment that baby is born and you hold them in your arms, you know it is a miracle straight from God. Just yesterday, I read a letter I wrote to Preston in his baby book on his 5th day of life, and I just cried as I remembered how good it felt to have this special little person in my life. Thank you, God!

Hmmmm...I'm running out of "interesting" stuff about myself.

9. Ok, thanks to Bethany, I thought of another one. Ok, so if I could go back about 10 years and pursue any "career" I wanted, I would have tried much harder to be a dancer. I absolutely love to dance (this counts as my exercise on a lot of days). I have always had pretty good rhythm and if I had really tried, I probably, at least, could have been a back up dancer in videos or something. I just love watching choreography, especially with several dancers doing the same thing and trying to do what they are doing. Ok, I know, it's sounds pretty crazy...

10. Last, despite having been to/driven through about half of the country, I have never been out of the continential US. I know this sounds even less interesting than everything else, but I mention this because the 2nd week of February, I am going to HAWAII!!!! My friend who is a biologist has been on a project down there for the last few years and is possibly going to be through this summer. So, a friend (my yoga friend from #5) and I are going down to visit her for a week for next to nothing! I just found out that I was going to be able to go this past Sunday and everytime I have turned on the TV since then, there is something about Hawaii on there!! She lives in the mountains on Maui, so we will have free lodging and travel around the island and our own personal tour guide! Ok, I promise I am not rubbing it in, so I will stop now. Yipeee....

I know, I am sooooo boring and all this probably put you all to sleep. Ok, now I have to tag 7 people. I am tagging all my "followers", so that is 5 since Bethany tagged me, and then Rachel and Jennifer (if you guys still get a feed when I post).

1st Annual Tip Junkie Awards

Ok guys, it's time for the 1st Annual Tip Junkie Awards! Laurie over at Tip Junkie is hosting a fun way to celebrate the Best of 2008 in Oscar Award-style fashion. You can vote in many different categories and, best of all, I'm am getting to participate as a sponsor. One of the winners of the 19 prizes will win a painting worth up to $50. An example of a $50 painting is something like either one of these:




The painting can be from the Tailored Line (or any lines that feature paintings less than that) and either a 14x18 or 16x20 inch canvas or smaller. These are usually designed to match a bedding, but doesn't necessarily have to. So, click on the button below and go vote!




psss..... Vote for me for Best Mom-preneur! (if you want to...) LOL!

I Had to Take Matters into My own Hands!

So, I finally went over to my friend's house and took pictures of her baby's nursery myself! It's embarrasing actually...it's the first time I have been over there since the baby was born the day after Thanksgiving! I have met up with them a few times here and there, so it's not as bad as it sounds. She has been telling me for weeks, though, that she would send me some pictures, but I know she has been very busy. Those of you that breastfed (I wasn't able to) know how time-consuming that alone can be, outside of all the regular new mommy stuff. So, here is her gorgeous nursery. When/if I have a little girl, this is how I would do it! I love this bedding and they painted the stripes below the chair rail to boot! The last and best picture by far is little Jayla herself-so precious! I got to spend last night with them ringing in the New Year! We had an awesome time! By the way, HAPPY NEW YEAR!